All elderly cats are at elevated risk for age-related mental

By Tom Ewing

Thanks to advances in all fields of veterinary medicine, it is not uncommon these days for a cat to live to the very ripe old age of 20 — roughly the physiologic equivalent of age 93 in a human. That’s the good news.

Signs of feline senility can become apparent in cats as young as 10 years old. Spatial disorientation and wandering in unfamiliar territory are common things to watch for.

The bad news is that cats, like humans, become increasingly susceptible to age-related disease conditions as they grow old, and most of these disorders are bound to have an effect on an animal’s behavior. Arthritis, for example, is likely to cause a formerly rambunctious cat to slow down dramatically as it transitions through its so-called golden years; kidney and urinary tract disease may severely affect its litter…

Purchase Selection or begin your FREE 14-day trial subscription to CatWatchNewsletter.com